1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling depth/distance of sound and method thereof. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for outputting an audio signal corresponding to depth of an object existing in a binocular disparity image.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Recently, the ongoing development of the related technology enables a technology of obtaining stereoscopic information of an object from a stereoscopic image to be applied to various fields of game, surveillance camera, vehicle camera and the like. Yet, an applied example of extracting and using stereoscopic information such as depth information and the like from a stereoscopic image has not been sufficiently developed. In case of a current 3D content, although individual effects of image and sound sensed by a viewer are represented well, an effect of a technology of outputting sound suitable for a stereoscopic effect of a stereoscopic image is limited to how well the stereoscopic effect reflects the sound when a producer produces a content. Meanwhile, if is very difficult for a producer to have a sound reflect a stereoscopic effect of an object. Moreover, despite the rapid spreading of stereoscopic image systems and the advent of a technology of outputting a conventional image as a stereoscopic image, it is difficult for sound to reflect a stereoscopic effect of an image in numerous contents.
Therefore, the demand for implementing stereoscopic sound interconnected to stereoscopic distance information by enabling a stereoscopic effect of a sound system to reflect visual distance sensed by a viewer from an object of a stereoscopic image itself is rising.
According to a related art, in order to create depth in an audio signal, the distance is reproduced in a manner of adjusting a sound level, using a level of artificial reverberation, or using a time interval level of early reflection. However, even if this related art algorithm is used, sound at a physical speaker location is heard loud or weak only. And, it is impossible to change a depth of sound from the physical speaker location to a head of a listener.